Powerplant and related control system and method
AssigneeAero Vironment, Inc.
InventorsAlexander Nelson Brooks, James Gallagher Daley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrogen fueled powerplant including an internal combustion engine that drives a motor-generator, and has a two-stage turbocharger, for an aircraft. A control system controls the operation of the motor-generator to maintain the engine at a speed selected based on controlling the engine equivalence ratio. The control system controls an afterburner, an intercooler and an aftercooler to maximize powerplant efficiency. The afterburner also adds power to the turbochargers during high-altitude restarts. The turbochargers also include motor-generators that extract excess power from the exhaust.
Claims19
A powerplant, comprising:
- an engine configured to react a first reactant with a gaseous stream of second reactant to produce energy and an exhaust stream, the gaseous stream of second reactant being provided to the engine at a flow rate;
- and
- a control system configured to monitor an altitude at which the engine is operating;
- wherein the control system configured to control the flow rate of the gaseous stream of second reactant based on the monitored altitude, and based on the operating condition of the engine, such that an exhaust stream temperature is maintained below a temperature limit.
A method of limiting the temperature of an exhaust stream of an engine configured to react a first reactant with a gaseous stream of second reactant to produce energy and the exhaust stream, the gaseous stream of second reactant being provided to the engine at a flow rate, comprising:
- monitoring information indicative of an altitude at which the engine is operating;
- monitoring information indicative of an exhaust stream temperature;
- and
- controlling the flow rate of the gaseous stream of second reactant based on the monitored information indicative of an altitude and the monitored information indicative of an exhaust stream temperature, such that the exhaust stream temperature is maintained below a temperature limit.
A powerplant, comprising:
- an engine configured to react a first reactant with a gaseous stream of second reactant to produce energy and an exhaust stream, the engine being configured for use in a range of ambient conditions, wherein the gaseous stream of second reactant is provided to the engine at a flow rate;
- a compressor configured to pressurize the gaseous stream of second reactant supplied to the engine;
- a turbine, wherein the compressor is driven in rotation by a driving force from the turbine, and wherein the turbine is propelled by the exhaust stream;
- an afterburner in the exhaust stream intermediate the engine and the turbine, the afterburner being configured to react reactants in the exhaust stream;
- and
- a control system configured to monitor a parameter of the group of parameters consisting of an altitude at which the engine is operating and a temperature at which the engine is operating;
- wherein the control system is configured to restart the engine in at least some ambient conditions of the range of ambient conditions by controlling the operation of the afterburner to add energy to the turbine such that the compressor is driven at a speed that provides for the gaseous stream of second reactant to be provided to the engine at a flow rate at or above a threshold level that is dependent upon the monitored parameter.
A method of restarting an engine that is configured to react a first reactant with a gaseous stream of second reactant to produce energy and an exhaust stream, the engine being configured for use in a range of ambient conditions, wherein the gaseous stream of second reactant is provided to the engine at a flow rate, wherein the engine is provided with a compressor and a turbine, wherein the compressor is configured to pressurize the gaseous stream of second reactant supplied to the engine and a turbine, wherein the compressor is driven in rotation by a driving force from the turbine, and wherein the turbine is propelled by the exhaust stream, comprising:
- monitoring a parameter of the group of parameters consisting of an altitude at which the engine is operating, and a temperature at which the engine is operating;
- operating an afterburner that reacts reactants in the exhaust stream intermediate the engine and the turbine during a restart of the engine, such that the compressor is driven at a speed that provides for the gaseous stream of second reactant to be provided to the engine at a flow rate at or above a threshold level that is dependent upon the monitored parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.